Charleston Ends Catfish Streak At Five

Despite an early lead, the Columbus Catfish bullpen blew that lead, and fell to the Charleston RiverDogs (Yankees), 6-4.

CF Desmond Jennings led the game with a walk, then stole second, then third. 3B Cesar Suarez hit a 1-out singles scoring Jennings. After C Nevin Ashley singled, LF Ryan Royster singled, scoring Suarez, and the Catfish were up 2-0.

A single, double, and wild pitch in the bottom of the 1st made it 2-1.

With 1 out, Jennings singled and stole second. Suarez walked. A double steal, then a wild pitch scored Jennings, and the Catfish had a 3-1 lead.

Things fell apart in the bottom of the 6th. Four singles, 2 walks, and an error, and Charleston had 5 runs and a 6-3 lead.

The Catfish got a run back in the 8th. With 1 out, Ashley reached on an error, stole second, and took third on a passed ball. He scored when RF Quinn Stewart singled to left, but that's all the Catfish could manage. The left 2 runners in scoring position in the 8th, and went down in order in the 9th.

Starter Wade Townsend pitched 5 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits, and struck out 7. He was not involved in the decision. Reliever Ryan Morse was tagged with 5 runs, 2 earned, in 2/3 innings work. It was his 2nd blown save, and first loss of the year. Ryan Reid pitched the last 2-1/3 innings, allowing just 1 hit and struck out 2.

The loss leaves the Catfish 5 games behind division-leading Augusta, but drops them from 2nd to 4th place.